Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Houlton grades C− overall, ranked 114th of 142 in Maine, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, the median household income is $61K, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. Its lowest everyday mark is in health: residents are less healthy than 92% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. A typical home there costs about $160K, 2.8 years of the county’s $57K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 93% of U.S. towns, with 13 places on the National Register. Houlton’s average trip to work is 10 minutes, below both the Maine town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Its National Register listings include Market Square Historic District and First National Bank of Houlton. Among 143 Maine towns, just 1 have a lower typical home value than Houlton.
Where Houlton beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
First National Bank of Houlton
Samantha Smith| Widest gap | Houlton | ME |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.7% | 14.8% |
Census counts: 115 in 1820, a peak of 8,377 in 1950, 6,055 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1859 and 2 maps from 1938 on.
13 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Houlton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Houlton, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Houlton.
Houlton has a shorter frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns, has homes that are cheap against local pay and sees little violent crime.
At 2.8 years of the county’s $57K median household income, the typical home (about $160K) costs less against local pay than in 98% of Maine towns; that ratio is one input to its B− for cost of living.
Houlton’s median rent is $785 a month. The typical Houlton home is worth about $160,000, up 2.8% in a year, 61% below the Maine typical home. 64% of Houlton households own their home.
| Houlton | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 64% | 81% | 73% |
| Median rent | $785 a month | $1,108 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by RSU 29/MSAD 29. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Houlton High School, with 378 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houlton Southside SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–6 | Grades 3–6 | 368 | C |
| Houlton High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 378 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ME on state tests and graduation
33% of adults get no exercise outside work in Houlton. Only 7 of the 143 Maine towns we compare have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Houlton. 13% of adults binge drink in Houlton.
| Houlton | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 23% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 35% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 33% | 35% |
| What stands out | Houlton | ME |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.1% | 15.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.7% | 14.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
22 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Among 143 Maine towns, just 9 have a lower share of conserved land than Houlton. The biggest park or preserve is Community Park, at 27 acres.
| Houlton | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 4.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Community Park | 0.7 mi | 27 |
| 2. Riverfront Park | 0.4 mi | 5 |
| 3. Monument Park | 0.3 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The Houlton 5n weather station, 5 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 125 days, shorter than in 98% of U.S. towns. The Houlton 5n weather station, 5 miles away, records that 96 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 97% of U.S. towns.
Houlton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Houlton is 78°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Houlton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The average commute for its 2,298 working residents takes 10.4 minutes, against 24.6 across Maine.
Jobs based in Houlton fell to 3,376 in 2023, 571 fewer than in 2013. Only 2 of the 143 Maine towns we compare have a higher share of working residents who work in town than Houlton. The top destinations are Presque Isle (4%), Bangor (4%) and Caribou (2%).
| Houlton | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 56% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
Maine has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Houlton sits closer to the middle.
| Houlton | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 16.7 per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Houlton; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Houlton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Maine.
13 places in Houlton on the National Register of Historic Places.
14 notable people were born in Houlton.
Town in Maine, United States
Houlton is a town in and the county seat of Aroostook County, Maine, United States, on the Canada–United States border. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 6,055. It is perhaps best known for being at the northern terminus of Interstate 95 and as the birthplace of Samantha Smith, a goodwill ambassador as a child during the Cold War. The town hosts the annual Houlton Agricultural Fair. Its nickname is the "Shire Town". The Houlton High School sports teams are named "The Shiretowners". The Meduxnekeag River flows through the heart of the town, and the border with the Canadian province of New Brunswick is 3 mi (4.8 km) east of the town's center. Houlton was the home of Ricker Coll…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Houlton.
| Town | ME rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houlton | #114 | C− | B− | B− | C+ | D |
| Ludlow | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hodgdon | — | — | B | — | B+ | D |
| Littleton | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Limerick | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Hodgdon has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Hodgdon reports no FBI crime data of its own. Ludlow, Littleton and New Limerick aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Houlton with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Houlton grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #114 of 142 in Maine. It grades D for health, B− for safety and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes, by national standards. Maine has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Houlton sits nearer the middle.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
14 notable people were born here, including Samantha Smith and Marcus Davis.
